Running Line Derailments
A derailment is an occurrence where one or more rolling stock wheels leave the rail during railway operation. A running line derailment is one that occurs on any line used for the through operation of trains including mainlines, branch lines and crossing loops. The category may also include some derailments which occur in sidings but affect the safety of running lines. It excludes derailments of track machines at worksites on running lines that are fully closed to normal rail traffic.
The Annual Industry Safety Report 2007–08 shows the vast majority of running line derailments involved freight trains. A smaller number involve track machines travelling as trains or working in sections of line not fully closed to through traffic. There has been a decrease in running line derailments over the longer term.
The graph below displays the latest published data on running line derailments in NSW.
